Late, late show: Dodgers beat Red Sox in longest Series game

Los Angeles Dodgers' Max Muncy celebrates his walk off home run against the Boston Red Sox during the 18th inning in Game 3 of the World Series baseball game on Saturday, Oct. 27, 2018, in Los Angeles.

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Max Muncy’s home run leading off the bottom of the 18th inning finally ended the longest World Series game in history early Saturday and gave Los Angeles a 3-2 victory over Boston that drew the Dodgers to 2-1 in the best-of-seven matchup.

Muncy homered to left-center on a full-count pitch from Nathan Eovaldi, jolting the remaining fans to their feet at 12:30 a.m. A grinning Muncy tossed his helmet aside as he headed for third in the final scene of a pivotal game that lasted 7 hours, 20 minutes.

“The feeling was just pure joy and incredible excitement,” he said.

The Dodgers mobbed Muncy at home plate, celebrating the solo shot that pulled them back from the brink of a potential 3-0 Series deficit from which no team has ever recovered.

The Red Sox could only rue their near-miss.

They were oh-so-close in the 13th to taking a commanding Series lead. But veteran second baseman Ian Kinsler’s wide throw on a two-out grounder by Yasiel Puig let Los Angeles score the tying run.

“Had the last out in my glove and couldn’t get it over there. It’s tough to swallow,” Kinsler said.

“I feel like I let the team down right there,” he said.

Said Red Sox manager Alex Cora: “It was just a bad night.”

“We had some situations that we could have put them away and then we didn’t. And at the end we paid the price,” he said.

Evoking memories of Kirk Gibson’s winning pinch-hit homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series, Muncy came within feet of ending it in the bottom of the 15th. But his shot to right sailed just foul and he ended up striking out.

“I really thought I had it,” Muncy said. “That was kind of defeating at that point, but I was able to get back and get another shot.”

The battle of attrition had a bit of everything, including 18 pitchers, 27 position players and 561 pitches. Never before had a Series game gone more than 14 innings.

The Dodgers snacked on peanut butter and banana sandwiches whipped up by a team employee, and hung a bag of bananas over the dugout railing to change their luck.

“We were well-fueled,” Kershaw said.

Game 4 is later Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Eovaldi had been scheduled to start for the Red Sox, but he threw 97 pitches over six-plus innings in relief as one of nine pitchers they used. The Dodgers backtracked on Rich Hill and said they would announce a starter later.

“I’m a little tired, but we’re ready to come back tomorrow,” Los Angles slugger Yasiel Puig said, looking at his watch and adding, “in a couple of hours.”

The Red Sox had a wild 13th with a walk, a steal, an infield hit and an error before taking a 2-1 lead.

Nunez then reached on a nubber to the right side and Alexander bungled the toss to first, allowing Holt to score. Nunez got knocked on his back again on the play at first, but stayed in the game as Boston had no one left on its bench.

The Dodgers tied it 2-all in the bottom of the 13th. Muncy drew a leadoff walk and tagged up when Nunez tumbled into the third base stands after catching Cody Bellinger’s pop foul. Muncy scored when Kinsler botched the throw to first on Puig’s infield single.

Bradley Jr. tied it at 1 with a drive off closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth.

Boston starter Rick Porcello gave up one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings, struck out five and walked one.

ALL NIGHT LONG

Previously, the longest postseason game by time was San Francisco’s 18-inning win over Washington that took 6 hours, 23 minutes, during the 2014 NL Division Series. The only other playoff game to last 18 innings was Houston’s victory over Atlanta in the 2005 NLDS.

STREAK STOPPERS

The Red Sox had won six straight games, starting in the ALCS. They had been 5-0 on the road this postseason.

UP NEXT

Red Sox: Cora hadn’t decided on a Game 4 starter.

Dodgers: After the game, the team said its starter would be announced later. Left-hander Rich Hill had been set to go.